The pretender to the throne

Solo Sikoa sitting in the head of the table chair is the most insulting visual in modern wrestling history. Watching him command Jacob Fatu and the Tongans feels like watching a backup quarterback trying to lead a Super Bowl-winning locker room. He lacks the gravitas of Roman Reigns, and frankly, the booking of this new Bloodline feels like a desperate attempt to keep the faction alive while the real leader was on hiatus.

Roman Reigns defined the last four years of this company with a level of dominance not seen since the peak of Ric Flair or the NWO era. His run as the undisputed champion, ending at WrestleMania 40, was the culmination of a masterclass in long-form storytelling. Solo Sikoa attempting to claim that glory by simply changing the locks on the locker room door is lazy writing masking itself as a power struggle.

The logic of the Bloodline civil war

The upcoming clash between the old guard and the new Bloodline is a collision of styles and legacies. Solo relies on brute force and the Samoan Spike, a move that only works if you ignore the fact that he lost to John Cena at Crown Jewel 2023 with almost zero resistance. Roman, conversely, relies on the psychology of the spear and the guillotine choke, moves that feel earned after months of near-falls and interference.

If WWE wants this to work, they have to address the elephant in the room: Jacob Fatu is the only person in this new group who actually looks like a threat to Roman. The Bloodline civil war will likely see Fatu eventually turn on Solo, sensing that he is the legitimate alpha in the room. Solo is a placeholder, a transitional villain designed to generate heat until the inevitable return of the true Tribal Chief.

The flaws in the booking

Let’s be honest about the cracks in the foundation. The constant interference in every single match involving the new Bloodline has become exhausting. It is the same formula we saw during the tail end of Roman’s reign, but without the benefit of Paul Heyman’s masterful mic work to smooth over the inconsistencies. As Wrestling Inc recently noted, the reliance on outside interference is starting to diminish the legitimacy of the championship matches.

I am tired of the constant run-ins where four guys stand on the apron waiting for the referee to turn around. It is a tired trope that needs to be retired. If Solo wants to prove he is a real challenger, he needs to beat a top-tier opponent clean in the center of the ring. So far, his biggest win is still just a collection of numbers rather than a display of actual wrestling prowess.

The endgame for Roman Reigns

Roman’s return at SummerSlam was the pop of the year, but the company needs to be careful. If they drag this out until WrestleMania 41 without a clear direction, the audience will turn. We are looking at a WWE event schedule that is packed, and the Bloodline story needs to reach its boiling point before the crowd gets bored. Roman Reigns is the greatest heel of his generation, but he is currently being positioned as a babyface by default because Solo is so unlikable. That is a dangerous game to play with a character who spent years perfecting the art of being the guy fans loved to hate.